31 Days of Character Building: Builder Fireplace Makeover

On Day 10 and Day 11 of this series, I talked about the power of paint. Today, I would like to continue on that topic and show how I transformed my builder-bland fireplace with paint...

It desperately needed a personality. When we first bought our home I had big plans for a fireplace facelift but, it wasn't in the budget. As an interim solution, I used paint and trim to give it a new look.

(Before)

First, I added board and batten style wainscoting to the fireplace wall. This treatment grounded the space and visually expanded the fireplace.

(During)

(During)

Then, to give it more of a presence, I painted the wood mantle and the ceramic tile surround with black satin enamel.

(After)

I asked my local hardware paint expert to help me choose a black satin enamel that would stick to ceramic tile. This is what he recommended...

This paint worked great for me. It has held up to the abuse of my family for almost three years, that is saying a lot about the durability.

(After) (Before)

The gas insert looked a little gray after the ceramic tile was painted. To spruce it up, I picked up a can of high temperature stove paint from the hardware and applied it to the outside of the gas insert with a detail brush. I also covered the gold (brass) trim surrounding the insert for a seamless transition between the surround and the insert.

I'm sure no one would ever do this but, just in case...Never paint next to an open flame. Always make sure the paint is dry and fully cured before attempting to use your fireplace. Please read all safety warnings on the paint itself and take all proper safety precautions. Please consult your local paint professional for a paint recommendation based on the material in your home.

Tomorrow, I will wrap up the mini-series on how I have used paint to give my builder grade home character.

Stacia ... found the seek happiness artwork today (May 16, 2012) at TJMaxx .. $34 and its a canvas type standout ... very large... also a lot of places sell it online if you are still interested. Good luck and happy shopping!

Thanks for the tip on the paint you used! I painted my fireplace surround and hearth black last year and it is way to glossy. I have to change the sheen on it badly. Your fireplace wall looks fabulous - love the board & batten!

I am also loving this series. We have been trying to add some architectural interest to our builder grade home and have been really pleased with a few affodable projects so far, but I am finding so much more inspiration here. Thanks for that.My favourite part of this fireplace makeover is that the white lower wall really helps the switches/outlets to blend in.

That's amazing! I never would have thought to paint the tile. I wonder if it would work on a solid surface surround. Ours is the same material that our bathroom countertops are made of... some sort of faux marble. Anyway, I love what you did! :)

This is EXACTLY what I needed to read right now. We have a VERY OAK mantle which has a beautiful shape and white tile surrounding the lovely black and BRASS fireplace insert. What in the world.. Anywho, I was wanting to paint it all black and just never stumbled upon anyone sharing my vision.. or with the guts to do it and know what to use to do it. :) Thanks for being a gutsy gal and shedding light on my fireplace. :)

Really enjoying reading your blog and look forward to all your future posts! We have a new build that I would like to add some "character" to, so I'll be poring over your blog for ideas. One of my problem areas is above my fireplace, the builders but a big square hole, apparently for a tv but it is way too high for the small room...I don't know what to do with it! Let me know if you have any thoughts or ideas, I have a photo of it here: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HqTRGs8m1s/TyHNpnIMAQI/AAAAAAAAAPs/J-lbN9Sjggk/s1600/SDC16427.JPG I am one of your new loyal followers! When you have a chance come on by and check out my blog (and make sure to say hi!). If you like my blog, I would love it if you would follow me back! Cath @ Home is Where my Heart is: http://cathhasablog.blogspot.com/

Have you seen anyone paint two colors around the fireplace? We have smaller tiles and therefore in two rows around. Was wondering on opinion of black immediately around fireplace with smoky gray outside that???

What paint did you use to paint the brass parts of tehe fireplace (those 2 strips that go across it above and below the opening), I have the same thing and want it painted black so badly but not sure what to use.

Hi there! My suggestion is to follow the recommendations on the back of the can. Depending on which product you are using, you may or may not need to prime. Please follow the manufacturers recommendation for best results :) Good luck with your project!! Best, Sarah

Wow love love love your fireplace! Question if you had NOT put the white batten on the walls by the fireplace would you still have chosen to paint it all black? Or would you then have another color you would of used?Thanks, NLA

QUESTION for you...what type of brush did you use on the doing th tile? We just tried to replicate this using the same paint and the harware store recommended using those little foam brushes. Turned out really streaky. Help!!

I just wanted to THANK YOU! for saving me a ton of time and money on our builder's grade fireplace. We are preparing to move and had a few cracks in the floor tiles surrounding the fireplace and instead of ripping everything out, I filled the cracks and painted using your advice and it came out wonderfully! The guys at Lowe's thought I was nuts I'm sure when I went to by the crack filler and paint, but you gave me so much confidence that I ignored those old guys and it worked! :-) I'm so happy to have a fresh looking fireplace and to not have to get into a DIY tiling project with everything else on my list. Thanks so much!!